The Mariners won just one of three hockey games in the Valley over the weekend, but coaches are seeing the level of improvement they were hoping for at this point in the season.

Homer beat Colony 4-3 on Thursday, lost to Palmer 3-1 Friday and lost to Wasilla 5-3 on Saturday.

In all three games Homer was either tied or had a lead going into the third period.

“The kids played real well, they just didn’t finish the way we would have liked,” said assistant coach Buck Laukitis. “It was just the way the puck bounced.”

The Mariners dominated winless Colony for most of Thursday’s game and led 4-2 until the Knights scored a goal with just 17 seconds to play.

Josh Pitta and Adam Trieweiler each scored in the second period. Patrick Pozzi also added two goals and goaltender Ben Miller stopped 21 of 24 Colony shots.

On Friday against Palmer, the score was tied 1-1 after two periods on a goal by Aaron Lewis.

But Palmer’s Zack Richards scored two goals in the third to give the Moose the 3-1 win.

Against Wasilla on Saturday, the Mariners led 3-2 going into the third period on goals by Pitta, Keith Bell and David Buckley.

But an offensive explosion in the third period by the Warriors led to three goals and the 5-3 win.

With just two seasons of practicing on ice under their belt, the Mariners are on the cusp of competing in the tough Northern Lights Conference, coaches said.

“We’ve been in position to win,” Laukitis said. “That’s a huge success. They are improving every week. It makes for great hockey. The guys are starting to gel and they are a far more disciplined team than at the beginning of the year.”

The Mariners host Soldotna Friday and then have a break until Jan. 13.

After that, they play all the Valley teams and Kenai in Homer during a four-game home stretch.

“The kids have a lot to be proud of,” Laukitis said. “Our goal from the beginning is to try to get better every weekend. And we’ve seen that.”

Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@homernews.com.